Protection Device for Electronic Equipment

ABSTRACT

A protection device for an electronic equipment includes a frame unit for protecting the electronic equipment, and a functional unit combined with the frame unit. The frame unit includes a main frame for mounting the electronic equipment. The functional unit includes a functional board mounted in the mounting bracket of the frame unit, a mobile power supply mounted on the functional board, and a charging plug connected with the mobile power supply and insertable into a charging slot of the electronic equipment. Thus, the functional unit is removably mounted on the frame unit so that the functional unit can be removed from the frame unit for replacement of the functional unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a protection device and, moreparticularly, to a protection device for an electronic equipment.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional protection device for an electronic equipment, such as acell phone, digital camera, global positioning system (GPS), car videorecorder and the like, comprises a back guard board for mounting theelectronic equipment, and two side guard plates mounted on two oppositesides of the back guard board and locked onto two opposite sides of theelectronic equipment respectively. The back guard board has a topprovided with an upper locking portion locked onto the top of theelectronic equipment and a bottom provided with a lower locking portionlocked onto the bottom of the electronic equipment. However, theconventional protection device can only be used to protect theelectronic equipment and does not have a charging function so that theuser has to additionally prepare a charger or back-up battery to providea power supply to the electronic equipment. In addition, the back guardboard has determined colors or patterns, thereby greatly limiting theaesthetic quality of the electronic equipment.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a protectiondevice, comprising a frame unit adapted for protecting the electronicequipment, and a functional unit combined with the frame unit. The frameunit includes a main frame adapted for mounting the electronicequipment. The functional unit includes a functional board mounted inthe mounting bracket of the frame unit, a mobile power supply mounted onthe functional board, and a charging plug connected with the mobilepower supply and adapted for being insertable into a charging slot ofthe electronic equipment.

The frame unit further includes a mounting bracket mounted on the mainframe for mounting the functional unit. The mounting bracket of theframe unit extends outward from one side of the main frame. The mountingbracket of the frame unit has an inner periphery provided with a guidetrack. The guide track of the mounting bracket has an end provided withan entrance. The functional board of the functional unit is insertedthrough the entrance of the guide track into the guide track of themounting bracket. The functional board of the functional unit has an endprovided with a protruding stop portion that is movable to abut theentrance of the guide track. The functional board of the functional unithas a surface provided with an exposing hole adapted for aligning withan objective lens of the electronic equipment.

The functional unit further includes a solar panel mounted on andconnected with the mobile power supply of the functional unit to providean electric power to the mobile power supply of the functional unit.

The functional unit further includes an ornamental panel mounted on thefunctional board, and the ornamental panel of the functional unit isprovided with characters or patterns and is directed outward from thefunctional board. The functional board of the functional unit has aninterior provided with a mounting hole for mounting the ornamentalpanel, the mounting hole of the functional board has an inner peripheryprovided with a retaining groove for retaining the ornamental panel, andthe ornamental panel of the functional unit is mounted in the mountinghole of the functional board and is removably retained by the retaininggroove of the functional board. The ornamental panel of the functionalunit is preferably an optical grating so that the patterns of theornamental panel present a spatial effect. The functional unit furtherincludes a card mounted on the ornamental panel, and the card of thefunctional unit is preferably a travel card, stored-value card orpre-paid card. The card of the functional unit is a memory card, and thefunctional unit further includes a universal serial bus (USB) adapterconnected with the card.

According to the primary advantage of the present invention, thefunctional unit is removably mounted on the frame unit so that thefunctional unit can be removed from the frame unit to facilitatereplacement of the functional unit.

According to another advantage of the present invention, the mobilepower supply of the functional unit is electrically connected with theelectronic equipment so that the functional unit can charge theelectronic equipment instantaneously without having to additionallyprepare a charger or back-up battery.

According to a further advantage of the present invention, thefunctional unit includes an ornamental panel to enhance the aestheticquality of the protection device.

According to a further advantage of the present invention, theornamental panel of the functional unit is removably mounted on thefunctional board so that the ornamental panel of the functional unit canbe removed from the functional board to facilitate a user replacing theornamental panel.

According to a further advantage of the present invention, thefunctional unit covers the electronic equipment so as to further protectthe electronic equipment.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a protection device for anelectronic equipment in accordance with the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional assembly view of the protection devicefor an electronic equipment as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective assembly view of the protection device for anelectronic equipment as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of a protection devicefor an electronic equipment in accordance with another preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a protection device for an electronicequipment in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded perspective view of a functional unit ofa protection device for an electronic equipment in accordance withanother preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a functional unit of a protection devicefor an electronic equipment in accordance with another preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a functional unit of a protection devicefor an electronic equipment in accordance with another preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a functional unit of a protection devicefor an electronic equipment in accordance with another preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a protectiondevice for an electronic equipment 3 in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention comprises a frame unit 1 forprotecting the electronic equipment 3, and a functional unit 2 combinedwith the frame unit 1.

The electronic equipment 3 is a mobile apparatus, such as a cell phone,digital camera, global positioning system (GPS), car video recorder andthe like. The electronic equipment 3 is provided with an objective lens31 and a charging slot 32.

The frame unit 1 includes a main frame 11 for mounting the electronicequipment 3, and a mounting bracket 12 mounted on the main frame 11 formounting the functional unit 2. The mounting bracket 12 of the frameunit 1 extends outward from one side of the main frame 11. The mountingbracket 12 of the frame unit 1 has an outer diameter equal to that ofthe main frame 11. The mounting bracket 12 of the frame unit 1 has aninner periphery provided with a guide track 13. The guide track 13 ofthe mounting bracket 12 has an end provided with an entrance 14.

The functional unit 2 is removably mounted on the frame unit 1 andcovers the electronic equipment 3. The functional unit 2 includes afunctional board 21 mounted in the mounting bracket 12 of the frame unit1, a mobile power supply 23 mounted on the functional board 21, and acharging plug 24 connected with the mobile power supply 23 andinsertable into the charging slot 32 of the electronic equipment 3. Thefunctional board 21 of the functional unit 2 has an outer diametersmaller than that of the mounting bracket 12 of the frame unit 1. Thefunctional board 21 of the functional unit 2 is removably mounted on themounting bracket 12 of the frame unit 1. The functional board 21 of thefunctional unit 2 is inserted through the entrance 14 of the guide track13 into the guide track 13 of the mounting bracket 12. The functionalboard 21 of the functional unit 2 has an end provided with a protrudingstop portion 22 that is movable to abut the entrance 14 of the guidetrack 13 to stop movement of the functional board 21 of the functionalunit 2 and to prevent the functional board 21 of the functional unit 2from being fully retracted into the guide track 13 of the mountingbracket 12. The functional board 21 of the functional unit 2 has asurface provided with an exposing hole 25 aligning with the objectivelens 31 of the electronic equipment 3 so that the objective lens 31 ofthe electronic equipment 3 is exposed outward from the exposing hole 25of the functional board 21. The mobile power supply 23 of the functionalunit 2 is a power supply matching the electronic equipment 3.

In assembly, the electronic equipment 3 is received in the main frame 11of the frame unit 1. Then, the functional board 21 of the functionalunit 2 is inserted through the entrance 14 of the guide track 13 intothe guide track 13 of the mounting bracket 12. At this time, theexposing hole 25 of the functional board 21 aligns with the objectivelens 31 of the electronic equipment 3 so that the objective lens 31 ofthe electronic equipment 3 is exposed outward from the exposing hole 25of the functional board 21. Then, the charging plug 24 of the functionalunit 2 is inserted into the charging slot 32 of the electronic equipment3 so that the mobile power supply 23 of the functional unit 2 iselectrically connected with the electronic equipment 3. Thus, the frameunit 1 can protect the electronic equipment 3, and the functional unit 2can charge the electronic equipment 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, the functional unit 2 further includes a solarpanel 231 mounted on and connected with the mobile power supply 23 ofthe functional unit 2 to provide an electric power to the mobile powersupply 23 of the functional unit 2.

Referring to FIG. 5, the functional unit 2 further includes anornamental panel 26 mounted on the functional board 21. The ornamentalpanel 26 of the functional unit 2 is provided with characters orpatterns and is directed outward from the functional board 21 to enhancethe aesthetic quality of the protection device.

Referring to FIG. 6, the functional board 21 of the functional unit 2has an interior provided with a mounting hole 211 for mounting theornamental panel 26. The mounting hole 211 of the functional board 21has an inner periphery provided with a retaining groove 212 forretaining the ornamental panel 26. The ornamental panel 26 of thefunctional unit 2 is mounted in the mounting hole 211 of the functionalboard 21 and is removably retained by the retaining groove 212 of thefunctional board 21. Thus, the ornamental panel 26 of the functionalunit 2 is removably mounted on the functional board 21 to facilitate auser replacing the ornamental panel 26. The ornamental panel 26 of thefunctional unit 2 has a surface provided with the exposing hole 25.

Referring to FIG. 7, the ornamental panel 26 of the functional unit 2 isan optical grating so that the patterns of the ornamental panel 26present a spatial effect.

Referring to FIG. 8, the functional unit 2 further includes a card 27mounted on the ornamental panel 26. Preferably, the card 27 of thefunctional unit 2 is a travel card, stored-value card or pre-paid card.

Referring to FIG. 9, the card 27 of the functional unit 2 is a memorycard, and the functional unit 2 further includes a universal serial bus(USB) adapter 28 connected with the card 27.

Accordingly, the functional unit 2 is removably mounted on the frameunit 1 so that the functional unit 2 can be removed from the frame unit1 to facilitate replacement of the functional unit 2. In addition, themobile power supply 23 of the functional unit 2 is electricallyconnected with the electronic equipment 3 so that the functional unit 2can charge the electronic equipment 3 instantaneously without having toadditionally prepare a charger or back-up battery. Further, thefunctional unit 2 includes an ornamental panel 26 to enhance theaesthetic quality of the protection device. Further, the ornamentalpanel 26 of the functional unit 2 is removably mounted on the functionalboard 21 so that the ornamental panel 26 of the functional unit 2 can beremoved from the functional board 21 to facilitate a user replacing theornamental panel 26. Further, the functional unit 2 covers theelectronic equipment 3 so as to further protect the electronic equipment3.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many otherpossible modifications and variations can be made without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated thatthe appended claim or claims will cover such modifications andvariations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

1. A protection device, comprising: a frame unit adapted for protectingthe electronic equipment; and a functional unit combined with the frameunit; wherein the frame unit includes a main frame adapted for mountingthe electronic equipment; and the functional unit includes a functionalboard mounted in the mounting bracket of the frame unit, a mobile powersupply mounted on the functional board, and a charging plug connectedwith the mobile power supply and adapted for being insertable into acharging slot of the electronic equipment.
 2. The protection device ofclaim 1, wherein the frame unit further includes a mounting bracketmounted on the main frame for mounting the functional unit; the mountingbracket of the frame unit extends outward from one side of the mainframe; the mounting bracket of the frame unit has an inner peripheryprovided with a guide track; the guide track of the mounting bracket hasan end provided with an entrance; and the functional board of thefunctional unit is inserted through the entrance of the guide track intothe guide track of the mounting bracket.
 3. The protection device ofclaim 2, wherein the functional board of the functional unit has an endprovided with a protruding stop portion that is movable to abut theentrance of the guide track.
 4. The protection device of claim 1,wherein the functional board of the functional unit has a surfaceprovided with an exposing hole adapted for aligning with an objectivelens of the electronic equipment.
 5. The protection device of claim 1,wherein the functional unit further includes a solar panel mounted onand connected with the mobile power supply of the functional unit toprovide an electric power to the mobile power supply of the functionalunit.
 6. The protection device of claim 1, wherein the functional unitfurther includes an ornamental panel mounted on the functional board;and the ornamental panel of the functional unit is provided withcharacters or patterns and is directed outward from the functionalboard.
 7. The protection device of claim 6, wherein the functional boardof the functional unit has an interior provided with a mounting hole formounting the ornamental panel; the mounting hole of the functional boardhas an inner periphery provided with a retaining groove for retainingthe ornamental panel; and the ornamental panel of the functional unit ismounted in the mounting hole of the functional board and is removablyretained by the retaining groove of the functional board.
 8. Theprotection device of claim 6, wherein the ornamental panel of thefunctional unit is an optical grating so that the patterns of theornamental panel present a spatial effect.
 9. The protection device ofclaim 6, wherein the functional unit further includes a card mounted onthe ornamental panel; and the card of the functional unit is a travelcard, stored-value card or pre-paid card.
 10. The protection device ofclaim 9, wherein the card of the functional unit is a memory card; andthe functional unit further includes a universal serial bus (USB)adapter connected with the card.